This style
of inlay is called cobblestone or cornrow inlay. Besides cutting the stones so
that they fit into an intricate pattern, the artist must also bevel each stone
on every edge. This requires great skill and time and investment in materials.

You
can easily see why this is sometimes referred to as cobblestone if you've ever
seen a cobblestone street in an old historic section of a US city or abroad. Native
American artists often call it cornrow inlay because in some patterns, the rows
resemble corn kernels on a cob.

The
US Department of the Interior Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 and its recent
Amendments require that items described as Native American or Indian be made by
an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe. Furthermore, government regulations
suggest that all attributions include the Native American Indian's name, tribe
and federal tribal enrollment number. Because it is impossible to identify the
artist for many vintage items, even if they are authentic Indian made items, we
cannot and will not use the words Native American or Indian in association with
such pieces.